A trio of $18,000 Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series dashes for three-year-old colt and gelding pacers were the marquee races on Sunday evening (September 7) at Rideau Carleton Raceway, and heavily favoured Shadowbriand, Titus Seelster, and Shadow Place did not disappoint their legions of backers in their respective divisions.
In the first Grassroots split it was Arrived Late (Sylvain Filion) who chopped out fractions of :26.4, :55.3, and 1:23.3 while Shadowbriand (Mike Saftic), who had gotten away third, was able to get himself into the pocket spot just past the half. Shadowbriand would remain in that position until the passing lane became available at the top of the stretch, and once it did, Saftic guided Shadowbriand to the clearance. Shadowbriand had plenty of pace to go with the space and he would go on to prevail by two and a quarter lengths in 1:53.3. Major Homer (Gord Brown) was up for second and Sanattle Slew (Billy Davis Jr.), who wound up first-over in the final half, was third.
Jack Darling of Cambridge, Ont. owns and trains Shadowbriand, a three-year-old gelded son of Shadow Play. This was Shadowbriand’s third win from 15 starts this year and his fourth career victory. He has earned $91,608 in 2014 and $152,293 lifetime. This was Shadowbriand’s first OSS win of the year. Last year he won once in OSS competition, that coming in a Gold Series event at Mohawk Racetrack.
The second Grassroots flight saw Titus Seelster (Filion) on the point through panels of :27.3, :57.4, and 1:25.1. Titus Seelster would put away a first-over try from Star Messenger (Trevor Henry) past three-quarters and then he left the remainder of his foes in arrears through the stretch as he reported home two lengths to the good over Shadios (Davis Jr.) in a final time of 1:52.2. High Flier (Jonathan Drury) checked in third.
Stephane Larocque trains the victorious son of Artistic Fella for owners Brian Paquet of Quebec City and Bayama Farms Inc. of Saint-Andre-D'Argenteuil, Que. Titus Seelster, making his 10th trip behind the gate this year, has three wins this season, and it was his fourth lifetime tally. He has banked $41,187 this year and $81,312 lifetime. Titus Seelster also won in Grassroots competition on August 3 at Hanover Raceway and on August 19 at Mohawk Racetrack.
Shadow Place (Trevor Henry) also went right down the road in the Grassroots nightcap. He was hustled to the lead before the :26.1 opening quarter and then went on to reach the half in :55.2 and the three-quarters in 1:23.4. Blacktree (Doug McNair) gave way from first-over before the top of the stretch, and although pocket-sitter Cluster Hanover (Mike Saftic) had room in the passing lane, it was to no avail as Shadow Place went on to triumph by a pair of lengths in 1:52.3. Cluster Hanover was the runner-up and OK Galahad (Davis Jr.) nabbed third.
Richard Moreau trains Shadow Place, a son of Shadow Play, for owners 9174 7998 Quebec Inc. of St-Janvier-Mirabel, Que., Les Ecuries Bruce of Piedmont, Que., and Henri Hebert Jr. of Papineauville, Que. Shadow Place has now won four times from 11 tries this year and he has six career victories. He has put away $43,840 in 2014 and $71,922 lifetime. This was Shadow Place’s third Grassroots success this year, joining his victories on August 3 at Hanover Raceway and August 19 at Mohawk Racetrack.
Tonight concluded the Ontario Sires Stakes season at Rideau Carleton Raceway and the regular season for the three-year-old colt and gelding pacers of the Ontario Sires Stakes Grassroots Series. The next time they will be in action is in their Semifinal events on September 20 at Mohawk Racetrack.
In regular racing action, Web Cam was a repeat winner in the $6,500 Winners Over Handicap Pace. Billy Davis Jr. catch-drove the popular John MacMillan trainee, who romped to a four and a half length triumph in a season's best 1:53 flat for owner Holland Racing Stable of Niagara-On-The-Lake, Ont.
In the matching trot, favourite Decret Justiciale recovered from an early miscue and circled the field to win in 1:56.2 for trainer/driver Denis Filion and owner Danielle Levac of St-Augustin-Mirabel, Que.